Naruto: Henko
by MSU82
Summary: Change. Everything in existence begins and ends with this. What happens when that change is needed? When futures are altered because of one of these sometimes small and meaningless, or large and earth-shifting, changes? Will it be for the better, or for the worst? Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Gaara, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, OC. HIATUS


**_Author's Note_**_: _

_First off, I'd just like to say that I being able to write this story is all thanks to inspiration from many stories here on this site! I will not be, under any circumstances, stealing things, intentionally anyways, from other stories. Granted, the inspiration to write this came from the story, **"**_**_Hakumei," _**_which is another story here on . I will have a link to the story bellow. Also, the idea for the suits did, in fact, come from the same story I just mentioned, but I did not steal the design. The only ideas I got were for masks and all-black shirts and pants. Now, on another note, I have no pre-planned pairings set for this story. When the time comes that I decide some pairings should form, I will either hold polls for them on my profile, or decide which ones would be the best to have on my own._

**_Disclaimer:_**_ animechick1998 (which is myself) is not in any sort of relation with the anime or manga of Naruto/Naruto Shippuden._

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**_"Let_****_ your children go if you want to keep them."_**

**_Malcolm Forbes_**

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**_Forest Out-side Konoha; October 10, 8:45P.M_****_:_**

It all begins with a cry.

A cry that shows a strong, healthy, living, and most perfect thing has just come into the world. That's a thought both Minato and Kushina each believe the moment their son first cried out once he was a born. Neither could believe it, the expression of that was clear on their faces…. They really were parents. There is completely easiness in view of their expression that it must have felt like it hadn't been real until they finally heard the sound of their child. Even if, on any other occasion, hearing him cry would probably be depressing, since it usually mean he was upset, but right now it was the most beautiful sound in the world because it meant he was healthy and alive.

"I'm a father today!" Minato couldn't help but bring up his forearm and wiping his happy tears away from his eyes. The Hokage hadn't felt this happy since the day he and Kushina had wed…. Granted, he had ended up feeling an ego blow after their ceremony and before their honeymoon since his red-headed wife had finally decided to tell him she was keeping her last name, but hadn't been upset by it since that name presented what was left of a once great village and clan. And even if it had upset him, it wouldn't have mattered because he married the person he loved most in the world, and that person just gave birth to their son.

No one suspected, however, what would happen next. After being scolded for trying to see his son, Minato pouted knowing that the Third's wife, Biwako, who delivered the baby alongside a medic ANBU, was right on how Kushina should be allowed to see Naruto first. After she did, the happy couple talks a few moments while the two women who made the delivery as safe as it was possible went to a different part of the room to clean up the new born. The seal on Kushina's stomach, which contained the Kyuubi inside of her, was weakened due to the birthing process. So, Minato was in charge of practically redoing the entire seal to make sure the Kyuubi wouldn't be able to break free. But in great suddenness, there was a cry from the two women who had moved out of the couple's view, and that's how we get to where we are now.

Young, innocent, only minutes old Naruto in the grasp of a man with a mask who is currently threatening his father that he'll take his life if he doesn't step away from Kushina.

"Fourth Hokage Minato, get away from the Jinchuriki." The masked man paused in his words, likely to add to the reality of his words as he pulled out a kunai, before continuing, "Otherwise, this child's life will end in one mi~!" He never had the chance to finish his words, he cutting his own speech off as he felt the child leave his grasp by something moving through him that he hadn't gone transparent to avoid. The thing was so quick, a literal blur, that the only thing that alerted any of the three adult-like people in the room that the thing was human, was the shout of a young, feminine voice calling out before any of them could act, "Space-time Jutsu: Twelve Dimensions Barrier!" As soon as the word barrier was called, the masked male moved in the same instant, but it was too late. Somehow, without any hand-signs, a visible barrier erupted from out of the female who had shouted for the jutsu, and it concealed the group. The masked man, however, was unable to pass through it, and it made him cry out in rage.

The female, who could now be viewed as roughly around the age of twelve or thirteen, cradled the crying baby to herself. She shushing to him softly while rocking the infant in her arms, and the baby quieted in a moment's time while the parents of the child stared at the girl like she had two heads. After a moment, the female looked over to the two adults, and while still cradling the baby to herself, she bowed respectfully. "Minato-sama, Kushina-san, it's an honor to meet you. Do not worry, I mean no threat to either of you, or your child." Hearing her speak like this continued to have the two adults stare at her, at least until Kushina groaned in pain and the seal on her stomach weakened further and parts of the seal spread throughout her body.

"Kushina, hold on!" Minato exclaimed, taking his attention away from the young preteen/teen that held his child. He put his hands together, over the seal, about to start adding strength back to it as the masked man beat harder against the barrier he thankfully still couldn't get through, but the Namikaze male's eyes widened when the young female's hand wrapped around his wrist, and he looked at her; he hadn't even heard he move close enough to be able to do that. "I meant what I said about not meaning any threat to you or your family, but, Hokage-sama…," The female paused, she closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, "I cannot allow you to re-strengthen the seal so the Kyuubi can remain inside your wife. You must transfer the Nine Tails into your son. And then, once that is done as such, you must allow me to take him away from Konoha." There were two loud choruses of shock from the adults, which caused the female to wince as she opened her eyes and stepped back a few steps for a little safe distance. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't try and hurt you for suggesting such a thing!" Kushina exclaimed loudly in a raged tone while trying to sit up, but Minato made her stay lying down so her body wouldn't be any more strained as both adults glared at the girl a bit.

"Just listen to me, alright? I know you don't know who I am, and I can't say that I really know you, but I do know you'd both do whatever it takes for your child to live. A Jinchuriki's seal is forever weaker with each birth they give, and since it will remain a bit weak since your child has been born, there is always a chance that the Kyuubi could break free. If you want Naruto to live, you must put the demon fox into him; If you don't, that masked man will try to use him against you again someday, you can be sure of that, or even likely try to rip the Kyuubi out of you at a later date, Kushina-san." The female paused, and each adult went silent—two of them doing as they each searched for loop-holes in her reasoning, and the other wondering how the hell the young teen knew his plan. "There is no choice but to transfer, and if he stays here after that transfer is complete, the village will never be able to protect him right, and neither can either of you despite how hard I know you'll try. But, I can protect him. Don't let my age fool you, because I swear right here and now, on my life, I will be able to keep him safe as he grows. Trust me."

"How can we trust you? How do we know you aren't working with that masked man there? You both got through the barrier! So, how do you expect us to just-" Minato had begun to rant, but he stopped himself and blinked once feeling Kushina's hand on his forearm. "Do the transfer, Minato…. I trust her, and we can both trust her to take Naruto away." The red-head stated in a soft voice, and her husband stared in shock at his wife. "Kushina…. How can you be so sure…?"

At the inquiry, the red-headed woman in the room closed her eyes. "It's a mother's intuition…. And you know that my senses are pretty enhanced by the Kyuubi; I can tell if someone is lying by listening to their heart rate. I listened, and she passed my lie detector…." A small smile made its way to Kushina's lips, and then she opened her eyes again as a serious look dawn her features in place of the smile. "Do it, Minato." After a moment of hesitation, and just staring eye to eye with the love of his life, the Fourth Hokage closed his blue orbs before slowly nodding.

"Here, I'll keep up the barrier to make sure that masked man can't get through until your son and I are far gone from Konoha to somewhere safe." The adolescent told the Namikaze male, handing off the blonde infant carefully to him as the man nodded in reply. She then proceeded to do just as she said; she sat down, and began to mediate apparently in order to keep all her focus on the shield while the transferring production of the Kyuubi from old to new container went on behind her. It was almost like a child watching the same episode of their favorite show over and over again for a million times; they know what's going to happen, so they hold no interest in viewing, really.

Once it got near the end of the transaction, the young female began to let her focus drop just enough so she could relax before she looked over to the masked man who still stood outside the barrier, trying to break through it. They met, what one would assume, was eye to eye. And then, suddenly, the girl pulled something small out of her pocket-a small note scroll like one would send on a messaging bird-and tossed it through a pencil-sized hole she created, which sealed right back up, to the masked man who caught it instantly and stared at the small scroll which now rested in the palm of his hand. A sign he was briefly forgetting his current angering and irritating situation.

Finally, there was a male-sounding sigh of relief, and the teen turned around to face the group of three people behind her as she stood in place. Minato looked down at his son, but faced towards her as Kushina sat up and turned her attention in the girl's direction as well. "It's done..." The Namikaze looked down at his baby a moment more, kissing his forehead after a moment-Kushina leaned over and repeated the gentle action-before the barely half hour old babe was handed over the to the youngest of two females in the room.

"We'll be on our way, then." The teen took a small glass-ball looking object out of her pocket, cradling Naruto carefully to herself, and was about to crush the little marble sized orb with her hand. "Wait!" Kushina had suddenly exclaimed, and that made the young female pause and look over to the woman.

The red head stared a moment, and then finally spoke, "You're taking our child from us, for only Kami knows how long, and I am trusting you to do that. But…. Don't I and Minato at least deserve to know your name?"

"…It's Meari."

And with that, the girl turned away from the two parents, and kept her attention off of the once barrier-beating male, who still held most of his focus on his scroll, but also her. Suddenly, Meari paused again, and looked back over to the adult blonde and redhead. "If anyone asks, which they will, Naruto was kidnapped and assumed killed by that male there. Do we understand one another? No one can know about me taking him." Once receiving nods from Minato and Kushina, she gave a brief nod back, and just like that the barrier was dropped, and she and Naruto where gone in a puff of smoke.

The Uzumaki woman and Namikaze man stared at the spot where their son and the girl who had taken him had vanished, and then in pure unison turned their attention over to the masked male in which they glared daggers of pure, fiery rage at. And, just like Meari and Naruto, the man was gone in a single instant.

There was silence a few long minutes, and then with a soft sigh from Minato, he turned towards Kushina and scooped her up into his arms. "Come on… Let's get you to a hospital for a check-up. You did just give birth, so someone needs to check you out…" He whispered, and then began to walk off while silently ending up needing to whisper sweet nothings to his wife after a few minutes as she began to have tears pour down her cheeks with soft sobs escaping. Kushina wasn't one to cry easy-she was too strong for that-but despite the trust she had for that girl, for Meari for reasons she truly didn't know, she couldn't help but feel the full blow of the fact she just gave her first child away to a complete stranger.

In the shadows of the walls of the village of Konoha, Meari stood in undetectable silence. She stared at the civilians who didn't notice her, and the ninja who didn't as well, and sighed before forming a shadow clone and handing Naruto off to it before sending them off somewhere. She looked towards a building nearby, and sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is going be a long night…. Might as well get started so I can get this over and down with as quickly as possible.…" And, with those words uttered softly to herself and no one else, she jumped off in pure, untraceable stealth towards her first targets.

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**_Within Konoha; October 10, 9:32P.M_****_:_**

Three clan compounds go into massive commotions within minutes of one another, almost riots, as all the ninja members of each clan family, as well as civilian members began to jump and run off through the village of Konoha. They each connected through radio transmitters as villagers and ninja's alike took notice; the ninja helping as soon as they began to find out the horrible thing which had just happened.

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**_Within Konoha; October 10, 9:40P.M_****_:_**

The two compounds of one clan, and the compound of another, all go into massive panic, as well search as rescue mode, currently unknowingly just like three other clans within Konoha. Actually, one of the two compounds of the first clan only was going on high protection alert, while its branch compound began their desperate search like the other clans.

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**_Within Konoha; October 10, 10:06P.M_****_:_**

Two more clans go into massive search throughout the village. Almost all ninja, genin rank and higher, have begun searching with all the clans. Bugs, or more specifically kikaichu, lining and flying through the air in massive groups as ninja hounds took to the streets. The village's Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was currently filling in for the place of the Fourth Hokage for the time being, hearing of the news and sending out Anbu as he began to join the search as well.

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**_Within Konoha; October 10, 10:18P.M_****_:_**

Three sets of civilian couples, or two be more specific two couples and then one male, run out onto the streets in different areas inside of the village. The women crying for the attention of the passing ninja to help them, while the males screamed out a demand for a ninja to spare a moment for them to speak. Other civilians hear in on what is going on as ninja do stop to listen to grieving pleas.

Word spreads, and civilians of all allowable ages to be out this time of night begin to be part of all the searches as well.

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**_Within Konoha; October 10, 10:25P.M_****_:_**

A certain adult, blonde haired male's steps came to a halt roughly about half a mile out from Konoha's main gates. Minato had been walking at a civilian pace, allowing Kushina to cry her tears and not possible feel shame if anyone saw them. Those salt demons, as Kushina liked to put it, had stopped a few minutes ago. But now, the couple's thought about their son lay forgotten for the moment as they were able to hear the organized screams of panic and urgency while the two were just able to see ninja jumping about. And, in an instant, the male went from civilian pace to Hokage urgency, and was at the gates in an instant. Kushina forced him to put her down, and he did so as both of the two adults stared around at the chaos.

"Minato!" Once the said blonde's name was vocalized, it was only a minute later that Shikaku Nara stood in front of him. In an instant, Minato went from wondering what the hell was going on like a civilian, to deciding to find out what the hell was going on like a Kage should, and questioned, "Shikaku, what is the meaning of all this commotion? Was the village attacked?" At the sign of a headshake of no, both Minato and Kushina who had each tensed in anticipation relaxed a little, but Minato re-tensed as soon as he noticed the grim look on the Nara male's face. "What did happen, my old friend? Tell me." Minato demanded, half as a worried Hokage, and then half worried as a friend and comrade.

There was a long moment of silence amongst the three before the bearded man spoke, "As far as we know, ten children~ No, not even children. Ten babies, no older than a year and a half, have been taken. Three were infants of civilians and the others where infants of clans…. And the list of clan infants is including my own son." Shikaku's face is currently in a deep, pain filled grimace, and Kushina's eyes softened though herself and Minato had each had mental red flags go up considering what had just happened to them barely an hour or so prior to the current moment. But, that didn't stop the Uzumaki woman from moving over to the Nara male and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Shikaku moved a hand over her hand, gripping it a moment, before noticing Kushina's… Well, before noticing her figure. "Kushina, your stomach… Minato, where's your baby?" Shikaku asked, snapping his attention away from the red head and to the blonde Hokage. "…We went to a secret place out of the village for the birth earlier this evening for security and safety. A masked man knew where we were, made it through the barriers I put up, and kidnapped mine and Kushina's child. That masked man killed all of the Anbu, Lady Biwako…. And then our son." Minato's voice was grim; he was lying through his teeth the fact that Naruto was dead, and he was sure he'd be figured out. A moment later, the male who had just finished speaking couldn't help but blink when he wasn't caught right away by the Nara male.

The Namikaze looked over, seeing an almost dead look of pure sorrow on his face as he looked to the ground. "…All of the babies are probably dead as well, aren't they? It was probably this masked man who did it all so quickly, if he was able to get through one of your barriers….?" Minato hadn't thought the male would make that connection, and neither had Kushina while she listened to Minato speak. After a moment, two firm hands were placed onto Shikaku's shoulder, and he finally looked back up to the man who stood before him. "Never give up hope, Shikaku. It could have always been someone else." The Nara stared a moment once Minato finished speaking, but then composed himself with a nod of his head before then excusing himself to go back and join the search for the missing children inside the village and around the area.

But, before the breaking of a new dawn, the evenings events would be marked for years to come as; **"Konoha's Cataclysm."**

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**_Outskirts of Tea Country; October 11, 8:35A.M_****_:_**

The forestry in this part of the land was calm, peaceful, and would be silent if not for the natural, soothing sounds and songs of animals and birds in the area. In a clearing deep in the treed area, there was what appeared to be a small cottage. Well, more of a home then a cottage consider it was big enough to be a small, one-floored home.

The home was brown and made of brick; it has grey shutters on the home's two windows, a deep, camouflage green front and back door, and a chimney off the right side of the house. Next to the house opposite of the side that held the chimney seemed highly out of place; a metal windmill about the twelve feet in height. That right there being an obvious sing that the home had electricity. The house didn't take up the entire space of the opening in the area that held the cottage, though. There was a good achier of open, level land surrounding the home.

Suddenly, in the edge of the clearing, eleven figures appeared. But, the figured didn't appear to be threatening towards the home for each figure carried a clothed bundle in their arms, and all the figures were of the same person.

A few moments later, from within the cottage, the rattling of the front door could be heard before it opened and Meari and her clones crossed the threshold. She handed the baby she held, Naruto, off to the clone that held one of the older children; that older child being and almost one year old boy with pale, lilac eyes. There was a mattress that had its edges lines with fluffed pillows in the middle of the entrance room. The couch being in this room a sign that possibly means this entrance area is also the living room. The clones moved over to the mattress, placing the either sleeping or lightly babbling infants down into the lightly fenced-in area on the mattress on the floor before dispelling their forms.

The real Meari, who was also the only one left in the living room, closed her eyes with a sigh while shutting the door; she sliding down the same said closed door a moment later and leaning back against it while fatigue was threatening to overcome her mind and body. Usually the girl wasn't this tired after less than twelve hours of running, but she had needed to use a lot of chakra the night before; it had seized a lot of the strength and torture her stamina just enough to make her feel exhausted.

But, that wave of fatigue was cast aside as a baby's cry began to admit, and not from any of the babies on the mattress, but from a different part of the house.

"Oh, Boss! Thank goodness you're back so soon. Tomato-head here has been crying almost non-stop since you left. The only time he was actually quiet was when he was eating or sleeping." A clone exclaimed this while walking over, pouting as she held the mentioned baby out to her sitting creator. Meari shook her head, smiling as she took the almost ten month old boy from the clone's hold. "I got back as soon as I can, you can dispel now." And, as soon as she was given the word of okay, the clone dispelled itself out of existence as the brown-haired female looked down to the now silent baby boy she held.

"Oh, don't give me that look. Konoha's a faraway place, little one…." Meari smiled, tickling the little boys stomach a bit to cause him to let out a giggle before then standing up with him and walking over to the mattress before continuing, "All these babies' here names are Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji. They're all going to be your friends, and you there's, Gaara…" Slowly, the female set the baby now notified as Gaara down with the other infant, before smiling down at them all and then scooping up Naruto carefully since he was the youngest out of all the children and didn't want the chance of one of them crawling onto him, or falling onto him, and hurting the babe. "In another two months, I'll be bringing another child here. She's be Neji's cousin, and her name will be Hinata." The female talked to them as if they were paying attention, or could understand, a smile still gracing her features.

After a moment, though, Meari's look went grim as she glanced at the floor, before looking to all the infants in front of her, and down at the one in her arms, before opening her mouth to speak again.

"You'll all be together forever, and eventually live a long time in happiness and peace. I swear, on my life, this will be each and every one of your futures."

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**_Unknown Location; October 11, 9:00A.M_****_:_**

They are just five, simply easy words that form a sentence on a piece of paper.

**I know who you are.**

So yet why do they make the masked male feel so insecure yet intensely curious?

The man in the mask sat in a dark room, staring at the small scroll he had received the night before, from that brown haired, brown eyes girl; from Meari. How could someone like her, so young, have any idea who he truly was? Then again, how could she be strong enough to get through the Fourth Hokage's barrier, move through his body of her own accord, and also be able to create a barrier that keeps him at bay as well?

After staring a few moments more, a smirk slowly came to grace the male's masked face.

"Hmm… This girl may very likely be trouble in the future. This nuisance… This Meari might one day be a greater threat to me then the threat I plan on truly becoming myself…."

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**_Author's Note #2:_**

_And that's the end of the first chapter! I worked almost two weeks on this because it's the first chapter, but once I get some reviews, I'll do my best to either update one a week or once every-other week. I'm still in school, so it will all depend on how things are going._

_Please, I beg you, do comment so I know what you think!_

_The next chapter will consist of the night Gaara is taken from Suna, and possibly the night Hinata is taken from Konoha. See you then!_

_Sincerely, animechick1998_

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**Vocabulary:**_  
_

1.) Cataclysm - disaster; tragedy_  
_


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